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Indian dance forms are said to
speak the values of Temple Tradition. Indian dance forms as practiced
today have captured global attention sensitising the Indianness
in all the cultural vistas of the world.
Nataraja i.e. god Siva in a dancing pose is worshipped all over
India, by the classical dancers, as the king of dance. The famous
cosmic dance of Siva truly depicts the nature of India classical
dance. A poet says, about the cosmic dance, |
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"With each step he took he scattered stars in space. With each movement
of his outstretched arms he enveloped space and time. With his long
hair flying in the wind he dances in ecstasy to the delight of his devotees."
The dance of Shiva symbolises the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction,
birth and death. His dance is therefore the dance of the Universe.
For centuries, Indian culture has accepted that the dance of Shiva is
the dance of life, myths, symbolism, mystic responses and philosophical
explanations all merely add to the strength of such belief in a power
that transcends the merely mortal, and when the human dancer enacts
this act encompassing concept, he or she only makes a humble offering
of acknowledgement. The reason why Indian classical dance speaks of
the Temple Tradition is that, the dance forms were nurtured with a purpose
in the sacred premises of temples. Temple dancing had a mission : to
take art to the people and conveying a message to the masses. The monotony
of the life of commonness as well as the elite was equally shared in
the premises of a Temple. True religion sanctified every element with
a touch of beauty.
The Badami and the Aihole Prashasti in the 6th century A.D. had the
illustrations of Nataraja preaching Natyagama in its pure form during
the Chaklukyan period. In the medieval temple tradition, the allegorical
view of dance used for the purpose of entertaining the gods or the Devas
transformed into a divine service.
Temple dancing was institutionalised and the dancing girls were patronised
by the kings and maharajas and were often respectfully mentioned in
many inscriptions of temples built in the medieval age. The famous temple
of Belur has several epithets glorifying the Hoysala queen Shantala
as Natya Saraswati, Vichitra Suthradhare etc. The dancing girls of the
temples were called Devadasis and the temple activity was considered
as a means of dedication.
The temples of Khajuraho, Bhubaneswar and Puri echoed with the lyrics
of poet Jayadeva. The Devadasi system in these temples was a living
tradition till recently. Later, the term Devadasi which was used in
the divine sense was replaced by the term Bhogastree and dance and music
were used as a means of attracting clients.
Classical dance forms of India
India offers a number of classical dance forms, each of which can be
traced to different parts of the country. Each form represents the culture
and ethos of a particular region or a group of people. The most famous
classical forms are Bharatanatyam of Tamilnadu, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam
of Kerala, Odissi of Orissa, Kathak of Uttarpradesh, Kuchipudi of Andhrapradesh
and Manipuri of Manipur. The common root of all these dance forms is
Bharata's Natyashastra.
Indian classical dance is divided into nritta- the rhythmic elements,
nritya- the combination of rhythm and expression, natya- the dramatic
element. To appreciate natya or dance drama, one has to understand and
appreciate Indian legends. Most Indian dances take their themes from
India's rich mythology and folk legends. Hindu Gods and Goddesses like
Vishnu, Shiva and Lakshmi , Sita are all depicted in these dances. Each
dance form also draws inspiration from stories depicting the life and
beliefs of the Indians.
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Bharathanatyam
is the term coined by E.Krishna Iyer, one of the freedom fighters
to the then Sadir dance. This dance has now come to stay as the
classical dance that originated in Tamilnadu. But this again has
no relevance today, for it has become deeply rooted in various
states of India.
Mohiniyattam is a female classical dance form of Kerala. It was
mainly performed in the Temples of Kerala. The word Mohini means
a maiden who enacts desire or steals the heart of the onlookers. |
Kathakali is one of the most dramatic dance
forms in India, wherein the performer dances all through the night
and tells stories of heroes and heroines, Gods & Demons from the
Indian epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana. The techniques of Kathakali
are extremely complicated and the dancers, mainly men, execute
rapid spins, leaps and freezes with split second timings.
Orissa, on the Eastern Sea-Coast of India,
is the
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home of the highly sensuous and lyrical form of dance
called Odissi.The Odissi dancer bends the hips and sways the torso in
curves and flexions known as "Tribhangi" (Triple Bend) and "Atibhangi"
(Semi-circular bend) from the torso downwards.
Kathak is a major solo style of Northern India. It is said to be originated
from the Braj region in Uttar Pradesh by "Kathakars" or story tellers.
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Another dance
form in India, Manipuri originates in beautiful valley in the
North East of India. Lyrical grace, lightness or delicacy of hand
gestures set Manipuri apart from the geometric structure of Bharatanatyam
and the linear quality of Kathak. The costumes and ornaments in
Ras are colourful and glittering. |
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